By the All Things Nordic Editorial Team
A new exhibition celebrating seventy years of Nordic female creativity has opened in the heart of the Italian capital. “Nordic Table Design 1900–1970” — inaugurated on Monday, 3 November at 6:00 p.m. at the Hendrik Christian Andersen Museum in Via Pasquale Stanislao Mancini 20 — offers visitors an in-depth look at how women from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden quietly transformed twentieth-century design and, with it, the fabric of modern society. Curated by Fabia Masciello, the exhibition brings together 130 objects — on loan from museums, archives, private collections and iconic Nordic companies — that trace the evolution of everyday design objects created for the table between the early 1900s and the late 1970s. But beyond its aesthetic appeal, the exhibition unveils a deeper story: how Nordic women designers used tableware as a medium for social change, emancipation, and redefinition of gender roles.
A Humanist Vision of Everyday Life
Featured designers include Aino Aalto, Estrid Ericson, Nora Gulbrandsen, Herta Bengtson, Ulla Procopé, Grethe Meyer, and Marianne Westman — women who, though often overshadowed by their male contemporaries, pursued their creative vision with determination in a male-dominated field. Their work, at once functional and poetic, embodies a distinct humanist approach to design: one that blends creativity, aesthetics, and empathy for the user, paying attention to the rhythms, rituals, and emotional needs of everyday life. Through simple, accessible, and beautiful objects — glassware, ceramics, cutlery, table settings — these women redefined domestic space as a site of freedom and self-expression. In doing so, they helped to shape new models of modern living and contributed to broader battles for women’s rights and recognition in the creative industries.
Collaboration and Cultural Dialogue
The exhibition, which remains open until 18 January (Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.), is accompanied by a programme of talks, workshops, guided tours, and educational activities exploring the themes of inclusivity and social design. It has been organised in collaboration with the Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in Rome, with the support of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Culture and Art Programme and the Nordisk Kulturfond.
A Silent Revolution
As the subtitle suggests — “A Silent Female Revolution” — the exhibition reveals how quiet gestures of creativity and care became acts of subtle rebellion. By designing for equality and accessibility, these Nordic women turned the table — both literally and metaphorically — into a symbol of modern freedom, empathy, and shared humanity.
Read more on Cultura.Gov.it
